Mailing device.



A. 'GLUTTBIL MAILING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.15, 1909. BENEWBD APR. 23, 1910 Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

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ALEXANDER CLUTTER, 0F YO'UGSTOWN, OHIO.

MAILING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

Application led January 15, 1909, Serial No. 472,480. Renewed April 23, 1910. Serial No. 557,267.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER CLUTTER, citizen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mailing De vices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in mailin devices, and the invention has for its object a simple, durable and efficient construction of safety envelop that is adapted to be closed in a peculiar manner so as to render necessary the mutilation of the envelop in order to effect the opening thereof, thereby obviating the liability of money or other valuables being surreptitiously abstracted from the envelop by a person tampering with the mails.

With this and other objects in view that will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a mailing device constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the inner and outer envelops torn open; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail perspective views of the fastener and guard respectively.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

My improved mailing device consists essentially of an outer envelop 1 which is of the ordinary or any approved construction or design, except that it is formed in its rear wall 2 at a point preferably in proximity to the extremity or apex of the sealing flap 3 with a relatively short slit 4 extending therethrough. The sealing fiap carries a fastener 5 that is formed of a suuable strip of sheet metal which is attached at one end to the sealing flap in any approved manner, and in the present instance is formed at such end with a plurality of attaching spurs 6 clenched through the sealing flap, as shown. At its other end, the fastener 5 is formed with a head 7 that is substantially spear-shaped, and the barbs S of which normally assume positions oifset from the plane of the head. This outer envelop 1 is designed to contain a relatively small inner envelop 9 that is substantially of ordinary formation and within which is placed the letter, money or other inclosure, the inner envelop being inserted in the outer envelop with its integral wall 10 toward the rear and with its sealing flap 11 arranged toward the front, that is, oppositely to the sealing Hap 3. The inner envelop is formed in its rear wall 10 with a horizontal slit 12 which is arranged substantially in vertical alinement with the slit 4 and from which depends a reinforcing guard 18. This guard is positioned within the inner envelop and is constructed of comparatively heavy paper or the like thathas substantially the form of a sleeve or flattened tube, the guard being maintained in position through the instrumentality of an extension tab 1A passing through the slit 12 and a'xed to the rear face of the rear wall 10, as shown. The inner envelop 9 is also equipped with a protecting flap 15 which is secured at one end to the rear wall 10 and which has its other end free from the wall and adapted to extend over the reinforcing guard 13 for a purpose to be presently disclosed.

In the practical use of a mailing device embodying the improvements of my invention, the letter or other article of value is initially placed in the inner envelop 9 which is closed by its sealing flap 11. This inner envelop is then inserted in the outer envelop 1, as before described, and the sealing flap 3 is folded over against the rear wall 2 to close the outer envelop with the other envelop 9 therein. The fastening strip 5 is inserted through the slit 4f and then through the slit 12, it being observed that while the head 7 is passing through the slits just mentioned, the barbs 8 are pressed to assume positions substantially in the plane of the head. After the head has been inserted through the slit 12 of the inner envelop, and has been projected through the reinforcing guard 13, the barbs 8 are relieved of pressure so as to return to normal position in oblique relation to the plane of the head,

tract the head`7 of the fastener, which is of course accompaniedv by the tearing of both the inner and outer envelops, and this serves to indicate clearly any tampering with the mailing device. Inasmuch as the protecting flap 15 is arranged to extend over the reinforcing guard 13, it will be observed that this flap is adapted to be positioned between the latter and the contents of the inner envelop to prevent the head 7 from becoming possibly engaged with and mutilating the articles placed therein.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that I have provided a mailing device which must be mutilated to effect the opening thereof, thereby guarding against surreptitious abstraction of valuables therefrom; which is comparatively simple in structure and embodies to a marked degree the characteristics of durability and lightness, and which consists of comparatively few parts that may be easily and cheaply manufactured and readily assembled.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

l. A safety mailing device comprising an outer envelop having a sealing flap, an inner envelop placed within the outer envelop, a metallic fastener secured to the sealing Hap and adapted to be inserted through corresponding walls of the envelops and engaged with the inner envelop on the interior thereof, and a protecting flap secured within the inner envelop and extending partially over the said wall thereof to prevent the fastener from injuring the contents of the envelop.

2. A safety mailing device comprising an .outer envelop having a sealing flap, an inner envelop placedwithin the outer envelop and designed to contain an article of value the inner and outer envelops being formed in their Walls adjacent to the sealing ap with alining slits, a metallic fastener secured to the sealing flap and inserted through the slits and engaged with the inner envelop on the interior thereof, and a protecting flap secured within the inner envelop and adapted to extend substantially over the slit therein to prevent the fastener from coming in oontact with the article of value.

3. A safety mailing device comprising an outer envelop, an inner envelop contained in the outer envelop, the said envelops being formed in their Walls adjacent to the sealing flap with alining slits extending therethrough, a reinforcing guard disposed Within the inner envelop and in the form of a iattened tube leading from the slit therein, and a metallic fastener secured to the sealing flap and inserted through the slits and projecting into and engaged with the guard.

4. A safety mailing device comprising an outer envelop having a sealing flap, an inner envelop contained in the outer envelop, both of said envelops being formed in their walls adjacentto the sealing flap with alining slits extending therethrough, a guard disposed within the inner envelop and in the forni of a flattened tube leading from the slit therein, the tube being provided with a tab extension passing through such slit and fixed to the opposite face of the corresponding wall of the inner envelop, and a metallic fastener secured to the sealing flap and passing through the slits and projecting into and engaged with the guard.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER CLUTTER. [L. 3.]

IVitnesses PHILIP B. YOUNG, NICKLAS J. RENO. 

